Description:
Today we find a world of asymmetric development, unsustainable natural resource use, and continued rural and urban poverty. There is general agreement about the current global environmental and development crisis. It is also known that the consequences of these global changes have the most devastating impacts on the poorest, who historically have had limited entitlements and opportunities for growth.

Total public agricultural research expenditures by region, 1981-2000During a 20 year period between 1981 to 2000 the amount of agricultural research by developing nations has outgrown those of higher income countries. The increase has been steady throughout the entire period as it is in ...

Major genetically modified crop production countries, 2006Some regions report increases in some crops and positive financial returns have been reported for genetically modified cotton in studies including South Africa, Argentina, China, India and Mexico. In contrast, the US and...

By IAASTD/Ketill Berger, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Counting female-headed householdsIn SSA women make up two-thirds of those infected with HIV/AIDS. This adds additional burdens for women as producers of food and as family caretakers. Labor loss due to illness, need to care for family members and paid e...

By IAASTD/Ketill Berger, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Price change of selected retail foodstuffs and the percentage of retail value paid to primaryThe elimination or the substantial reduction of subsidies and protectionism in industrialized countries, especially for commodities in which developing countries compete such as sugar, groundnuts and cotton is important ...

By Ketill Berger

World's top seed companiesThe top ten seed companies have incomes at over $10 billion USD. Monsanto and Dupont/Pioneer lead the way with over 50% of seed sales in the world. All of the top ten companies are located in the U.S.A, Japan or Europe.

By IAASTD/Ketill Berger, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Counting women’s laborBesides housekeeping and child rearing, women and girls are usually responsible for fetching water and fuel wood. Women and girls tend to perform tasks such as planting, transplanting, hand weeding, harvesting, picking f...

By Ketill Berger

Research budgets of CGIAR, Monsanto and NARS in South AmericaAgricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology (AKST) has the capacity to improve livelihoods, although effects have varied by region and social group. The ability to access and benefit from AKST is uneven, with industri...